Robert E. Lee High School is a public high school in
Baytown Baytown may refer to:
* Baytown, Texas, a city in the United States near Houston, Texas
*Baytown culture, an archaeological culture in the United States
*Operation Baytown
Operation Baytown was an Allied amphibious landing on the mainland o ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, that serves grades 9 through 12. It was opened as a
segregated school
Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Interna ...
, and named after
Confederate Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
commander
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...
. Lee is one of four
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
s in the
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCCISD) is a school district headquartered in Baytown, Texas, United States.
The district has 16 elementary schools, 5 junior high schools (6-8), 4 high schools (9-12), a career center, and t ...
. The building is a
Texas historic landmark.
History
Robert E. Lee High School was established in 1928, during the
Jim Crow-era, and named in honor of
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...
, the military commander of the
Confedererate Army.
[ It opened as a ]segregated school
Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Interna ...
for white students; Black students were not allowed to attend until the Fall of 1967.[ Prior to this, Black students attended Goose Creek School for Coloreds, which was later renamed George Washington Carver High School.][
In 1940, the school's band adopted uniforms meant to be authentic representations of the uniforms worn by the ]Confederate Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
. The community raised and donated money to repay the district for the cost of the new uniforms.[ In 1952, the school band performed for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a ]neo-Confederate
Neo-Confederates are groups and individuals who portray the Confederate States of America and its actions during the American Civil War in a positive light. The League of the South, the Sons of Confederate Veterans and other neo-Confederate organ ...
organization, at their national convention in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...
.[
In 1970, several Black American parents requested that Goose Creek CISD board rename the school but the request was rejected.]
On April 29, 1987, a three-alarm fire destroyed the interior of the main building, forcing students to finish the school year at rival Sterling High School. Initially thought to be accidental, it was eventually found to be arson. The main building interior was rebuilt and formally rededicated in 1988. The incident is mentioned in the Mean Gene Kelton song "Cruisin' Texas Avenue".
In September 2020 Pearland resident Kevin Craven asked the Goose Creek CISD board to rename the school, but the board voted not to change the school's name, four members voting against and three voting for. Craven is the grandson of Elmer Cartwright, one of the individuals in the 1970s who asked for the renaming. The board instead created a committee to study whether a renaming should be done.[
In March 2021 the Facility Names Committee chairperson issued a recommendation that the board keep the school's name. By that month only three schools in Texas were still named after Robert E. Lee, Baytown Lee among them. Shelby Webb of the '']Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' wrote that students were relatively apathetic about the name while "Adults in the community have been more passionate on the issue."[
]
State Historical Site
In February 2011, at the request of the Baytown Historical Preservation Association, the school was designated by the state as a historical site. The Historical Preservation Association believed that Lee was eligible for the designation because of its age, unique architectural facade, and its importance to the Baytown community, and deserved to be recognized. A dedication ceremony took place on April 27, 2013.
Academics
Alongside the typical core courses offered at all high schools, Lee also offers some advanced courses in various fields. The school offers Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course ...
courses for Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, Physics, Art History, World History, U.S. History, European History, English Language, English Literature, American Government, Computer Science A, and Computer Science AB. In 2007, the school produced twenty five AP Scholars, and twenty nine in 2006.
Athletics
Lee also participates in the UIL competitions in class 5A, Region III. Lee won the Texas state championship in baseball in 1955 (class 2A).
Demographics
The school has had a significant demographic shift as with many public schools in the Houston area. The school went from a non-Hispanic white-majority to a Hispanic-majority in the 2000s. As of 2019, the school's ethnic breakdown is 10 percent non-Hispanic White, 73 percent Hispanic, 15 percent African-American, and 2 percent other. As of 2020, the school had an enrollment of 1,784, of whom 1,275 identified as Hispanic, 253 as Black, 215 as White, 12 as Asian, 6 as American Indian/Alaska Native and 21 as two or more races. 952 were male, 832 were female.
Notable alumni
*Jermaine Alfred
Jermaine Alfred (born August 11, 1976) is a former American football quarterback in the Arena Football League who played for the Orlando Predators and New Orleans VooDoo. He played college football for the Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears are th ...
, Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...
95-00 and Arena Football League
The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
Quarterback, Owner/Operator Texas Quarterback Club
*Kirk Botkin
Kirk Randal Botkin (born March 19, 1971) is the former defensive coordinator for the South Carolina State University Bulldogs football team and a former American football tight end and long snapper who played four seasons in the NFL with the N ...
, former NFL player and collegiate football coach
* Brian Brock, theologian
*Russell Brock
Russell Claude Brock, Baron Brock (24 October 1903 – 3 September 1980) was a leading British chest and heart surgeon and one of the pioneers of modern open-heart surgery. His achievements were recognised by a Knighthood in 1954, a Life Peera ...
, LSU beach volleyball coach
*William Broyles Jr.
William Dodson Broyles Jr.
Filmreference.com. Accessed November 28, 2022. (born October 8, 1944) is an A ...
, screenwriter
*James Cleveland
James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating trad ...
, former Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars are the athletic teams representing the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education instr ...
wide receiver
* Norman Cooling, Brigadier General in the United States Marines
*Quentin Coryatt
Quentin John Coryatt (born August 1, 1970) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Texas A&M University. He is distinguished as being the ...
, former Texas A&M and Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
linebacker
* Reggie Craig, NFL wide receiver 1975-1977, University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
* Charles Godfrey, former safety for Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
* Jimmy Herndon, offensive Lineman for University of Houston
The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
*Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson (born 5 October 1947) is an English singer and songwriter. In 1980, after the death of Bon Scott, he became the third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC. He and the rest of the band were inducted into the Rock and Rol ...
, American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
coach and former quarterback, current Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
quarterbacks coach
* Ell Roberson III, former Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
quarterback
*Clayton Shields
Clayton Shields (born March 28, 1976) is a retired American basketball player. He was named Western Athletic Conference co-Player of the Year at the University of New Mexico and played professionally in six countries.
Shields, a 6'8 small forwa ...
, professional basketball player and coachCNN/SI - NBA Draft - Player Bio
/ref>
*Clint Stoerner
Clinton Jacob Stoerner (born December 29, 1977) is a former American football quarterback, who played in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins. He also played in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe. He p ...
, former quarterback for University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins
*Tom Stolhandske
Carl Thomas Stolhandske (born June 28, 1931) is a former American football linebacker who played one season with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 1953 NFL Draft. H ...
, NFL and CFL player
* Drew Tate, University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...
and CFL
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
quarterback
Notes
External links
*
Goose Creek School Alumni Association
*www.baytownhistory.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Robert E. High School
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District high schools
Baytown, Texas
Educational institutions established in 1928
1928 establishments in Texas
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks